


Sharpest of Minds

by Cynicwithatwist



Series: Heart, Mind, and Soul [2]
Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Bantering, F/M, Slow Romance, Swordfighting, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:30:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4820582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cynicwithatwist/pseuds/Cynicwithatwist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now that Yona's identity has been revealed during the tournament, things around Hiryuu Castle are about to change, for better or for worse.  Still, that doesn't mean a certain red haired princess is out of ideas, or that a certain general isn't around to go along with her zany plans.    </p><p>Sequel to Strongest of Hearts</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Begrudging Mind

Everything had erupted into chaos after Yona’s identity was revealed.  The two competitors immediately released their blades, dropping to the dirt to deliver streams of apologies from deep bows.  Joo-Doh arrived moments later, hoisting the princess off of Hak and escorting her to where her parents sat.  She was worried about her friend, but such thoughts were quickly dashed when she reached the King and Queen. 

Her mother regarded her frostily though she maintained the dignity of a queen, all ice sculptures in flower gardens. 

“Do I dare ask?”

Yona swallowed.

“I- I just wanted to prove I’m capable.  I don’t want to be seen as a weak princess whose biggest merit is her blood.”  She didn’t want to be seen as a prize either, but Yona figured saying so would only anger her mother more.

“Well, mission accomplished.  I’m sure no one will be seeking your hand in marriage now.  Honestly Yona, you could have been hurt.”  The frigidness was melting, a queen fading into a mother.

“I’m sorry,” she said meekly.  “I didn’t mean to worry you but I needed to accomplish something for myself.”

Up until this point Yona’s life had revolved around acquiring skills a princess ought to know.  She studied dance and music and embroidery.  How to greet guests and pour tea.  None of that had been for herself, and now that she’d tasted sweat and blood and aching muscles to reach a goal, Yona wasn’t sure she could go back.  Putting forth hard work to cultivate something with one’s own hands made success that much sweeter.

“We’re just glad you’re ok” her father said, wrapping the girl in a warm hug.  Yona instantly relaxed against the man, returning his affectionate gesture.  She always felt better with her father.  He was a hot drink on a brisk day, calming candlelight in darkness.  “And thank the Dragon Gods Hak was with you."

Oh.  Yona had momentarily forgotten about him.  Joo-Doh was probably chewing the man out right now.

“Yes, Hak,” the Queen sighed.  “I cannot believe he allowed this.  Not only that, but he aided you.  His behavior was completely unacceptable, something needs to be done.”

Images flashed across Yona’s eyes.  Hak being stripped of his position, kicked out from the castle.  Vicious rumors of his indiscretion spreading across the country like black ink on parchment.  Hak would take all of their words, carrying the crucible silently, never complaining of how he wound up in such a state because of a princess and her silly plans.  That was the type of person Hak was, a good man.  Just as he had always protected her, Yona would do her best to protect him.

“I formally request you do not punish him” Yona said firmly, remembering to keep her head up and her gaze steady.  Those were the traits of a queen.  “Mother, you’re always telling me it’s the job of those with power to protect our subjects.  Well, Hak is my subject and I forced him into this.  I ordered him.  He still did his job, I never got hurt.  No harm done, right?”

Her mother didn’t look completely convinced.  Yona could see it in the hard line of her mouth, the way the Queen’s sharp eyes were fastened on her, as if she was rummaging through the girl’s soul.

_Why does she have to be so stubborn?  If she was more understanding like me life would be much easier._

“And father, if you don’t back me up on this I won’t talk to you for a month,” Yona added.

The King flinched, realizing he was about to be dragged into the conflict.  Whether it came to the country or family matters, he always did his best to stay true to his pacifistic stance.  He shuffled in place, running a hand through his hair and smiling sweetly at his wife. 

Yona had won.

“Dear, since Yona is asking so nicely, and no one got injured, why don’t we let it slide?”

Her mother sighed and Yona knew she was caving.  The Queen might have been the strictest, but when her daughter and husband teamed up there was little she could do but admit defeat.  They were her loved ones, after all.

“Very well.  But Hak will be moving posts.  I don’t want him guarding you for a while, not until I am certain he won’t go along with your ideas again.”

She wanted to take Hak away?  She couldn’t do that, didn’t have the right to.  Yona had been with Hak for as long as she could remember.  All of him, his sarcastic comments, his warm hands, his wicked grins, were imprinted into her life.  He couldn’t go.

“Absolutely not,” Yona squawked.  Her voice came out more loudly than she intended, and she caught her mother shooting her a disapproving look.  “You can’t just tell some random guard to follow me around.  I’d feel so uncomfortable, not to mention he would be a man.  Who knows if he’s trustworthy.”

“I hope you realize Hak is also a man,” The Queen muttered.  “However, I understand.  I’ll ask Joo-Doh to act as your temporary bodyguard.  You should be comfortable with him, considering he watched you when you were a child.  Now go back to the castle, please.  Your father and I have to make an announcement and smooth things over.  For the mean time it would be best for you to remain out of the public eye.”

Yona wanted to argue, but there was a note of finality in her mother’s words.  She was done discussing the subject, and Yona knew better than to push her.  For now, she would do as she was told.

The Queen called for Joo-Doh.  The grizzled man appeared, listening intently to the instructions given to him.  With a curt nod he turned to the princess, raising the hood of the cloak so it once again covered her face. 

Yona followed the general silently as he led her to the palace.  She was upset, but more so with herself than anyone else.  If only she was apt at debating, then perhaps she could have remedied the entire situation.  Yona did not see Hak as they left the tournament.

“Joo-Doh” she called once they were safely within the walls of her private garden, “can I at least see Hak for a moment?  Just to make sure he’s ok.”

“Only a handful of minutes and you already miss me this much, princess?”

Yona whipped around to find her friend leaning against the tree he often took naps in.  Relief crashed upon her, the tension piling on top of her shoulders swept away.  She jolted forward, ramming into the man with more force than was necessary for a hug. 

“How dare you make me worry,” she grumbled.

“Well now, we all know that’s my special talent” he replied breezily, fingers curling around Yona’s shoulder so he could gently pry her off.  She looked up at the man with confusion.  Though Hak had never been the overly affectionate type, he’d never seemed to mind her hugs before. 

Yona pushed the baffling action out of her mind, focusing on the importance at hand.            

“I tried to stop her, but you know how mother is.  She became the Queen for a reason.  Don’t worry though, I’ll figure a way to fix things soon.”

“I thought you’d be happy to get rid of me, considering I’m so insufferable and all” he smirked, and Yona immediately wanted to smack the expression off of his face.

“M-maybe.  But I need some form of entertainment, and you’re not as boring as the rest.  However, on reflection, perhaps Joo-Doh would be a much more likeable companion,” she retorted fiercely. 

“Oh?”

His face had shifted now, a rakish smile taking root and suddenly Yona felt as though she was being cornered by a big cat.  A black panther with gleaming cobalt blue eyes.

“General Hak” Joo-Doh said in that ever clipped voice of his, “I would suggest hurrying with your goodbyes.  It would bring even more trouble if the King and Queen found out you had come here.”

The grin melted away, sparkling eyes fading.  Hak straightened up so he was no longer leaning over the girl and Yona took a small step back, the nervous beat of her heart calming.

“I guess I’ll see you around sometime, princess.  Try not to give General Joo-Doh too many headaches, not everyone is as patient as me.”

With those last words he was off, sauntering as he always did when not in a fight.  Hak didn’t look back, not once.  Perhaps being assigned to a new duty didn’t bother him in the slightest; perhaps he looked forward to his new post.  Perhaps he wouldn’t miss her at all.   

It took every drop of Yona’s will power not to run after him.     


	2. The Cool Mind

“Kouka is a very pretty country.  Sei doesn’t have many mountains like this you see, and I’ve grown quite fond of them.”

Yona smiled at the girl, doing her best to seem engaged in the conversation even though her mind was far from it.  Half a week ago Sei’s middle princess, Eun, had arrived to stay at Hiryuu Castle.  Apparently traveling was one of her prized past times, and Soo-Won had suggested she visit Kouka’s royal family for a spell.  This wasn’t just a frivolous vacation however, but a means in which to cement the good relations between the two countries, to demonstrate the union formed from the marriage of Soo-Won and Queen Dae was as strong as ever.  At least, that’s what Joo-Doh said.

“If you’d like I could always arrange for us to take a short excursion into them.  Nothing far or strenuous, but you’d be able to see them up close,” Yona offered.

She was doing her best to be a polite, considerate host as her mother had instructed.  To tend to the girl and assure she continued to view Kouka in a favorable light.  Still, the suggestion wasn’t completely selfless.  If the two princesses did visit the surrounding mountains they’d need quite the brigade of guards, and who better to send than the Thunder Beast himself?

It’d been weeks since Yona had last seen Hak.  She missed him terribly.  Without him around something felt off, like all the colors had bled out of a painting only to leave lackluster outlines behind.  The gaping hole left from the absence of his sharp tongued words and teasing hurt more than Yona could have ever imagined.

Not that she’d ever let him know that.

“That would be lovely!  Thank you Princess Yona,” the girl beamed.  It was the first time Yona had seen her look genuinely excited about something.  Up until this point Princess Eun had exuded the actions and qualities of a quintessential lady.  Graceful like a swan, quiet as a feather drifting through the air, delicate as a lily’s silken petals.

Maybe if she began smiling more, and eating like a human being instead of a bird, Yona could get along well with her. 

“Don’t mention it, it would be my honor” Yona recited, just as she’d been taught.  “Well, if you’ll excuse me Princess Eun, I have to meet with one of my tutors now.  Perhaps we can have tea again later this afternoon?”

“I would like that.”

Yona tacked on a few more light, formal departure phrases before escaping out of the room.  Once the door was firmly shut behind her she sighed, letting her shoulders slump.  It was rather painful to sit with immaculate posture for such a long period of time.

“Princess, may I ask which tutor you plan to meet?  As I recall, no such engagement exists your schedule for today,” Joo-Doh said pointedly.

_I was hoping if I walked fast enough if I could slip away from him for a little while._

Joo-Doh wasn’t a bad person, Yona liked him well enough, but he was the definition of boring, and sometimes he nagged so much the girl began to wonder if he was actually her mother. 

“I figured it was a better alternative than saying, ‘this conversation has been going in circles for two hours now; I’m tired and want to leave’.”

Yona heard a sharp intake of breath, the type of sound someone made after having an arm cut off or being fatally stabbed.  She knew she was in for a lecture now.

_‘Princess Yona, there are certain rules you have to abide by as a royal, especially when it comes to dealing with guests.’  Yeah, I’ve heard this spiel before.  Besides, who created these so called rules anyway?  I can’t help it if Princess Eun is stuffy and dull._

Perhaps that judgment was a bit harsh.  She barely knew the girl after all, and it didn’t help that Yona was in no mood to play host.  She really needed to talk to Hak, even if it was only for a few short minutes.  Was he ok?  And more importantly, when could he start training her in swordsmanship again?

Yona knew that would probably be a fight in its own right, considering how opposed to the activity her parents were.  Still, she couldn’t simply give it up.  There was magic in wielding a blade.  For a moment she wasn’t just some princess but a strong, confident warrior that was taking the world by storm through her own efforts and abilities.  It was exhilarating, a rush she had become addicted to.  There was no way she could give up her newfound treasure now.

“Joo-Doh” Yona said, before the scolding demon had a chance to reprimand her.  “I want to speak with Hak.”

He froze, the annoyed look dissolving off of his hard face. 

“Princess” he started tiredly, “you know your mother has ordered for the Thunder Beast to be kept away from you.  It won’t be forever, so please, for now behave and wait it out.”

His words were expected, but not the ones she wanted to hear.  A small part of her had hoped the man would be on her side.  Surely Joo-Doh recognized that Hak hadn’t done wrong, if anything he deserved to be praised for keeping her out of harm’s way.

“What if I go see mother?  Is she doing anything right now?  I’ll just convince her it’s been long enough.”

_Crash!_

The sound of something shattering against the floor echoed down the corridor.  The sharp resonance was quickly replaced by a mixture of terrified screaming and indignant yelling.  Yona could hear a light _whooshing_ noise, the type that only accompanied a swinging blade.

Her heart stilled.

“We’re returning to Princess Eun’s room,” Joo-Doh said immediately, sword already drawn and at the ready.  Yona didn’t argue.  There was a strange current in the air, something raw and oppressive that made the hair on the back of her neck rise. 

They reached the room swiftly; Joo-Doh entering first to make sure everything was sound.  Princess Eun stood up as she caught sight of them, confusion flitting across her refined features.

“Joo-Doh, go back and see what’s going on,” Yona commanded firmly.  She couldn’t bear to just ignore whatever was happening at the other end of the hall.  Someone was in trouble, someone needed help.  Yona knew the general would never allow her to go investigate, so her only option was to send him.  “Princess Eun and I will remain here.  She has three guards with her, so we’ll be fine.”

“Princess Yona, what’s going on?” the other girl inquired, shrinking towards the back of her room in a timid manner.

_Right, I have to deal with her too._

“Nothing for you to worry about, Princess Eun” Yona said with a smile.  Though she was growing more and more nervous by the second she managed to keep her voice calm and collected.  It was a tone forged in the coldest of winters, one that did not bend or break no matter the circumstances.  Up until this point, Yona wasn’t aware she could sound so in control.  “There’s just a slight disturbance in the hallway, so I wanted to make sure you were ok.  Joo-Doh is going to take care of it.”

She shot the man a look, one she hoped held the same type of authority her mother always seemed to emanate.  He returned the gesture, his eyes demanding that she not do anything crazy in his absence.  Yona nodded in response.

“It’s just as the princess says, I’ll be back shortly,” Joo-Doh said gruffly, leaving the room with one last glance back.

Worry crept up Yona’s spine.  She couldn’t recall a time in which neither Hak nor Joo-Doh wasn’t with her, especially when a situation became tense.  She’d never been alone.

_Ok, calm down, don’t panic.  I have three guards here, and though they might not be as strong as the two generals, they’ve all had training.  Everything will be fine, I can handle this, though I could probably handle this a lot better if I had a blade._

“Do any of you have an extra sword?” Yona asked, turning to the three men.  Their previously impassive faces twisted into uncertainly.

Right, after the tournament Yona was sure no one was willing to let her touch a sword again.  Utterly ridiculous considering how well she had handled the weapon, but a fact in her current situation all the same. 

“Do you know how to use one, Princess Yona?” Princess Eun asked curiously.

“I’ve had some brief training,” Yona explained.  She didn’t plan on telling the girl the entire story, it didn’t exactly cast a demure image, but Yona figured saying that much would do no harm.  “And while I’m sure nothing is wrong, better safe than-”

A fist banged on the door.  Yona wheeled toward it, taking a step back from the abrasive sound.  The guards rushed forward, prepared to fight if need be.

“Princess!  Are you in there?” a voice called.  It was muffled, but Yona recognized it in an instance.

She shoved through the guards, flinging the door open.

He was there, Hsu Quandao in hand and raven hair ruffled more so than usual.  He wore a serious expression, but his lips shifted into a slight smirk when he caught sight of Yona.

She reached out, fingers touching the fabric of his robes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.  The texture felt rough against her skin, like an impenetrable stone mountain side, just as she remembered.  Yona wasn’t imaging things, he was really there.  She felt a million times safer already.

“Hak."


	3. The Exigent Mind

Yona could still hear some sort of scuffle down the hall, blade meeting blade punctuated with an occasional sharp word.  She was beginning to get worried, Joo-Doh hadn’t come back yet and he generally finished things quickly.  Something had to be terribly wrong. 

“Hak” she whispered, tugging on the man’s sleeve so he’d lower his ear closer to her mouth.  Yona certainly didn’t want to freak out Princess Eun, so it was a better idea to not announce her uneasiness out loud.  “What’s going on?  Did rebels break into the castle?”

That had happened once before, many years ago.  Yona was very young at the time, she hardly remembered the occurrence, save for hiding in her closet while Joo-Doh and a handful of other men guarded her room.  She didn’t find out until she was older that her mother had almost lost her life during the incident.

“It’s still unclear who they are,” Hak said. 

In Yona’s opinion it didn’t really matter if they were rebels or soldiers or bandits.  People where threatening her home, her family.  She couldn’t allow that.

“We’re leaving,” she informed him, “first we need to find a sword for me, but after that I want to help get rid of these guys.”

Hak shot her an incredulous look, as if she had burst out singing some silly song at the top of her lungs.  She didn’t particularly appreciate his expression.  Surely he knew she could handle herself, he’d been the one who had taught her how to use a blade, after all.

“Princess, we’re not going anywhere, not until everything dies down,” he replied firmly.  Hak was using that tone of voice, the one she hated and could never seem to win against.

_Not this time._

“You’re welcome to stay here with Princess Eun.  I, however, will be seeing with my own eyes whatever it is that’s in the hallway.”

Yona darted past Hak, hand meeting the door.  The wood was cold and unpleasant; she couldn’t help but think it was an ominous omen.  No, that was silly.  She needed to ignore the nerves dancing through her veins, painting caricatures instead of pictures, needed to calm her racing heart. 

She could handle this.

A large hand latched onto her wrist, pulling Yona back until she found herself caught by two arms that she had no possibility of escaping from.  It was in moments like these that Yona cursed Hak’s insurmountable strength.

“Princess Yona,” Princess Eun called softly.  Oh, she was still there.  Yona had momentarily forgotten about the quiet girl in her haste.   Not only had she tried to run, but she’d blurted out a few things that probably weren’t helping to keep the other girl calm.

A crash sounded from the hall, this time much closer to the room than any of the previous noises had been.

Yona glanced up at Hak; she could see he was thinking the same thing as her.  They needed to leave, to escape into the garden and head for another location.

“Hak, you lead, Princess Eun and I will be in the middle, and the other guards can be last.”

She caught a ghost of a smile on his face, the type that usually meant he was proud of something she had done.  Pride surged through her.  Although she hated to admit it, Yona really did shine next to Hak.  He had a way of wrapping her up in some indescribably perfect feeling that sounded like her favorite melody and tasted of starlight.

Yona thought she may just possibly be in love with the man.

_No, that can’t be true._

“Not a terrible plan, princess, considering it was you who came up with it,” he grinned, unwrapping his arms from around her and swiftly heading toward the window that faced the garden.  “Let’s go.”    

_Definitely not true._

The group left as silently as they could, Hak guiding them through the exquisite lawns and flower gardens.  He was completely zeroed in on checking their surroundings, and though Yona didn’t have military experience she understood why.  They were out in the open, it would be so easy for whoever had attacked the castle to catch or kill them.

“Are you scared, Princess Eun?” Yona asked the girl next to her, emoting what she hoped was a placid tone.

“No, I feel safe,” the princess responded, “and you may call me Eun.”

“In that case please call me Yona.”

Funny how when the situation turned dire she actually began bonding with the girl.

They walked for a while more, and Yona did her best to try and help Hak scout out the area around them.  The more eyes looking for danger, the better.  Though it took her a while to figure out just where they were headed, she understood once she caught sight of the armory.

_Clever._

The building itself wasn’t much to look at.  Its walls were worn with scrapes and cuts all over their surfaces, so completely different from the pristine appearance of Hiryuu Castle it was hard to imagine the two were related in anyway.

Hak opened the door, ushering the group inside to a room of considerable size brimming with weapons.  There were shields, glossy and proud that boasted the castle’s emblem.  Spears congregated against one wall, sharp tips gleaming in the low light, waiting eagerly to be chosen for a fight.

“I think this is what you’ll want,” Hak said, grabbing onto Yona’s shoulders and steering her to where the swords lay.  “Pick one.”

There were so many, a plethora of lengths and designs ranging from lackluster to masterpieces.  Some had dragons etched into the blades, others proudly displayed their jewel encrusted hilts.  A small few had irregular blades, their metal surfaces shaped in waves that strongly resembled slithering snakes.  Each seemed to be vying for Yona’s attention, each wanting to be chosen. 

She reached down, pulling up a sword that paled in comparison to the more extravagant ones.  It reminded her of the cutlass she had used in the tournament, all sharp edges and wicked speed.  Yes, this blade would do nicely. 

“I’m surprised, princess.  I thought for sure you’d want one of the more ornate swords, one that matches your appearance.”

Yona turned toward Hak, fighting the urge to let him have a taste of iron.  He was smiling that stupid grin of his that always seemed to drain away her annoyance.

“But I do have to say, this one is unassuming and quick.  It fits your personality.”

She wasn’t entirely sure if that was a compliment or not, but coming from Hak who had a tongue as thorny as the most tenacious of rose bushes, she assumed it was.

The door to the armory flung open, and the teasing air around Hak dissipated, deadly intention rising in its place.  He rushed forward to meet whatever enemy came through the door.  Yona hurtled after him though she knew Hak wouldn’t approve.  It didn’t matter.  She was no longer defenseless, and she wasn’t going to sit idly by as Hak protected everyone on his own. 

Hak pulled up short, relaxing and lowering his Hsu Quandao. 

Joo-Doh walked into the room.

The general was bruised and had a few nicks here and there, but he wasn’t severely injured.  Yona let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad to see both the princesses are safe,” he said, voice rougher than usual, like walking barefoot on rocks.  Like the situation wasn’t all sugar and cream.  The relief Yona felt moments before evaporated.  “Thank you for escorting them here, Hak.”               

“Joo-Doh, what did you see?” Yona demanded, striding forward to meet the man.  Up close he appeared more battered than he had at a distance.  However, what really caught her attention were his eyes.  Though Joo-Doh had always been overly serious there was something heavy in his look, something weighing him down and dragging the man towards the abyss.

Whatever was transpiring in the castle hadn’t ended simply.  Perhaps it had never been simple to begin with; perhaps Yona had just wished it so and ignored all signs pointing to another conclusion.  Perhaps she should have gone into the hallway when she had a chance.

“We must leave Hiryuu Castle,” Joo-Doh announced, “immediately.”


	4. The Determined Mind

As it turned out, Princess Eun did get to see the forest up close and personal, though Yona figured now wasn’t the time to mention how vividly crimson and golden the leaves were.  The poor girl hadn’t said more than a few words after their group had escaped the castle.  Her actions were understandable; the princess had come for a relaxing vacation and instead found herself in the midst of a hostile takeover.  At least, that’s what Yona had concluded anyway.  Why else would the royal guards be regrouping in the mountains instead of on the castle grounds?

“You look bored, princess.  This turn of events not exciting enough for you?” Hak inquired, seeming to materialize out of the blustery autumn air.  He’d been doing his best to stick right beside her ever since the two had met back up. 

“Perhaps I would be more cheery if I actually knew what was going on,” she quipped.  “If you think I’m stupid enough to believe there’s nothing dangerous-”

“I don’t think you’re stupid,” he interrupted with such seriousness Yona was taken aback, “however, you’ve got quite the record for pulling featherbrained stunts.  That’s why I won’t be taking my eyes off of you until things are settled.”

So that’s why he’d been sticking so close.  Yona was used to him keeping an eye on her, the man was her bodyguard after all, but for the most part he’d always done so from a distance.  Having Hak physically next to her for such a long period of time was new.  Truth be told it made her a little nervous, and now there was no way she could sneak around and gather information as she’d hoped.  Still, Yona didn’t exactly hate the arrangement.

“Welcome back to bodyguard duty, Hak,” she said dryly.

He grinned and all the uncertainty lapping at her bones ebbed away.

“I can see you’re thrilled by my return.”

“What gave it away?” Yona muttered, glancing impatiently toward the castle.  After meeting a handful of guards during their escape, Joo-Doh had led everyone to their current location.  The castle was still in view as it sat at the base of the mountains, but from this point Yona couldn’t really see what was going on inside of the grounds. 

Shortly after organizing the guards, Joo-Doh had headed back with the promise to return soon.  Yona wished he would hurry.

_There’s no point fretting over what you can’t control.  Instead of moping you should be doing something productive._

“Hey, Hak” Yona asked, “can you practice swordsmanship with me?  I haven’t used a blade since the tournament and I don’t want my abilities to grow rusty.”

Hak glanced around from guard to guard, uncertainty crawling across his face until his expression hardened into an impassive mask.

“No one is going to care,” Yona said before the man could even speak.  “And if you want me to, I’ll order them to keep their mouths shut about it.  Come on, Hak.  Right now we need all the able fighters we can get, right?”

“Princess” he began, voice trailing off as his eyes drifted over her.  They lingered on her face a moment longer than they needed to, rough sapphire brushing across her cheeks, pinning her to the ground.  “Fine, but this doesn’t mean you can fight if we run into others.”

He still didn’t have complete faith in her ability, and that hurt more than anything else.  Yona ignored the pinprick of pain in her heart.  She’d just have to make him see, to make him acknowledge how well she could hold her own against an opponent. 

Yona grabbed her sword, raising it in front of her sharply.  Hak mirrored her action, though his movement was much more fluid.  The more Yona had learned about sword fighting, the more she had begun to respect Hak’s technique.  It was different than everyone else’s, elegant and almost delicate, a dance under moonlight.  His blade was like water, curling gracefully through a valley, mesmerizing until the hidden current sucked an unsuspecting enemy under.  Then his blade was all raging riptides and mighty waterfalls.

Hak struck first, the sound of their swords clashing drawing the attention of the guards.  He didn’t attack with his full strength, but Yona still had to lean into the blow in order to block it.  She managed to press Hak back, and once they had disengaged she darted forward, grasping the hilt firmly and drawing her blade up from a very low angle.  She’d invaded his personal space, perhaps gotten closer than she ought to, but Yona figured if she wanted Hak to accept her she needed to give it all she had.

Surprise flickered across the man’s face, and he took an unconscious step back.  That in itself was worth feeling victorious over, for Yona had never caught him off guard before.  The moment didn’t last, and Hak quickly regained control of the match.  He batted her blade to the side with his before plunging it forward, the tip resting gently against her throat.

Yona swallowed.

“Never get that close to an armed opponent, not unless you’re going to finish him with one strike.”

Hak dropped his blade, Yona’s body relaxing though her heart continued to hammer on.  She hadn’t even realized how tense she’d been during the bout, as tight as a bow string about to fire an arrow.

“Thank you, Hak,” she breathed.

A sliver of a smile lit up his face.

“Anything for my princess.”

_His_ princess?  Now Yona’s heart was racing for an entirely different reason, but before she could ask him to expand on the meaning of his remark, Joo-Doh returned.

Everyone instantly gathered around the general, waiting.  The silence smothering them was deafening, a shockwave that bent Yona’s nerves every which way.  Without a second thought she grabbed onto Hak’s pinky.  His hand shifted, rough fingers and palm engulfing hers. 

“It’s as we feared” Joo-Doh spoke, his tone completely barren of the nagging quality that usually accompanied it.  “Insurgents have taken over Hiryuu Castle and are holding the king and queen hostage.”

Yona stopped breathing, stopped thinking.  She was floating away into a grey fog composed of nothingness.  She couldn’t feel anything.

Hak tightened his grip on her hand and Yona was brought back.

“We need to split up, to alert the leaders of the other tribes,” Joo-Doh was saying.  “I’ll assign you all into three groups.  There may not be too many of us, but that could work in our favor.  We must travel swiftly.  I will lead those of us going to the Water Tribe.  Ki, you will take your group to the Wind Tribe and consult Mundok.  Hak, I ask that you take both princesses to the Earth Tribe.  Geun-Tae’s castle will be the safest place for them right now, and he likes you well enough.”

They were leaving, traveling to the Earth Tribe.  This was going to be Yona’s first time away from home.  From her world.  What would Geun-Tae’s domain be like?  More importantly, what if they couldn’t convince him to help?  He was a proud man; perhaps he would think those of Hiryuu Castle weak if they could not protect themselves.  Perhaps he’d have no desire to aid people that could not defend their own home.

_In that case, I’ll just have to convince him.  I’ll fight him with a sword if need be, I won’t allow him to refuse._

Shortly after the announcement Joo-Doh divided the guards up, and Yona immediately noticed her aggregation had more members than the other two. 

“Protecting both of you is a top priority as well,” Hak said when he noticed her face.  “And just how long are you planning on crushing my hand?  I think I’ve lost all blood circulation.  If this is some plan to make it so I can no longer use a weapon, you’re succeeding.”

Yona’s face flushed at his words.  She let go of his hand and brought her own up with enough force to practically make her lose her balance.  A chuckle resonated from Hak which only served to turn Yona’s face into an even darker shade of red.

“I thought you’d do anything for your princess,” she snapped before she could stop herself.

That mischievous, predator like smile returned to Hak’s face.  Yona regretted throwing his words back at him instantly.

“Of course, my princess.  May I offer my hand?  Maybe that way you won’t get lost on our journey.”

She was going to hit him so hard he’d be seeing stars.        


	5. The Regretful Mind

The mountains in the morning were chilly, bright autumn leaves tattooed with frost that twisted into delicate spirals.  Yona drew her cloak closer to her body, watching the white cloud that accompanied her breath drift off into the pale blue sky.

“After today, we’ll be out of the mountains” Hak announced, eyes landing briefly on each other the other seven guards.  “From there on it’ll only be half a day until we reach Geun-Tae.”

“General, I’ve traveled this route to General Geun-Tae before; I think it’ll take at least a day to get to him once we reach the foothills.”

Yona recognized the man who had spoken; she’d seen him around the castle before.  Though she usually paid no heed to guards excluding Hak and Joo-Doh, the massive scar that ran though the man’s eye and down to his upper lip had caught her attention.  It was a badge of honor, proof he’d spent many a year laying down his life for his country.  That was how Hak had explained it anyway when she had asked about the mark all those months ago.

“Then you better walk faster.  We make it in half a day.  This isn’t a social call, we don’t have time to saunter along,” Hak affirmed.

“But the princesses-”

“Will be fine” Yona cut in, marching forward to join the congregation of men.  Hak shot her a disapproving look which she pointedly ignored.  It didn’t matter if this meeting was meant to be exclusively for the guards, if she could help move things along she would.  “Don’t underestimate us, even roses have thorns.”

The corners of Hak’s lips curled up; a movement Yona caught though no one else did.  Within a second his face had returned to the ever stern look of a commander.

“It’s as the princess says.  Pack up your things, we leave in five minutes.”

Back at the castle having only five minutes to get ready would have been unthinkable, but over the past couple of days Yona had grown accustomed to how quickly those of the Hiryuu infantry moved.  Wake up early, eat a meager meal with haste, efficiently pack, march all day until one cannot walk anymore, make camp, eat yet another sad excuse for food, sleep, and repeat.  All Yona had to do was focus on putting one foot in front of the other, focus on their mission.  That way she wouldn’t have time to think about unnecessary things.

_They’re fine.  Mom and dad wouldn’t go down easily, and Joo-Doh would not have come back to us if he thought they were in immediate danger._

“Even roses have thorns?” Hak lightly mocked, walking beside her as he always did during their treks.  “I didn’t know you had a poetic soul, princess.”

“Don’t you have a job to do?” she snapped, jabbing her elbow into his side.  She knew the action didn’t do much, Hak’s muscles were like an armor of their own, but he pretended to favor his left side for a moment. 

“I am doing my job.  I may be in charge, but these guys can handle leading the procession, my top priority is to make sure you’re safe.  Always.”

Hak had been telling her that since he’d first become her bodyguard, the same words delivered in the same matter-o-fact manner. However, recently Yona found her heart speeding up when he did say them, as if they had taken on a new meaning, as if he did not mean his top priority was to protect the princess, but to protect just Yona.

Feeling her face begin to turn pink and having no viable excuse as to why, Yona looked back, pretending to check on Princess Eun.  Though the girl had a mild manner of speaking she had done considerably well thus far.  Not once had she complained or fallen behind, not that they could actually allow her to fall behind.  Still, Yona was quite impressed.

“I think we may want to give her a sword too,” Hak said, following Yona’s gaze.

“What?  Why?” Yona stuttered, head whipping forward once again so she could send her friend a look.

“Well, The way she moves suggests she may have had some training in the art of swordsmanship,” Hak said thoughtfully.  “I think there is a lot more to her than we may think.”

Something foreign and unpleasant bounced off of Yona’s heart and landed heavily in her stomach.

“Oh?  Maybe you should go guard her, then.  Since she’s so fascinating and all.”

Her words were childish, even by Yona’s standards, but they’d been planted into her head by some unknown force and seeped out onto her tongue before she could stop them. 

“Is someone jealous,” he teased, a wide grin spreading across his face like some sort of ebullient plague that refused to stop attacking its victim.

“N-no” Yona huffed, “how could you even think that?  Who would be jealous of someone receiving your attention, you’re just Hak.”

He snorted and she knew he didn’t buy a word of it.

They continued on their way for hours, though this particular hike wasn’t too difficult as it was mostly downhill.  In fact, Yona discovered a new spring in her step, some extra energy, probably produced from the knowledge that they would soon be with Geun-Tae and planning how to rescue both her parents and the castle. 

Twilight hit the land with surprising speed that day, and Yona was just about to suggest stopping for the night when she bumped into the man in front of her.  She shot him a glare, wondering why the soldiers in the lead had stopped moving. 

“Princess” Hak whispered, so quietly she barely picked up the words, “stay behind me, and be prepared to use your sword.”

Movement caught her eye, black clothes against the darkening trees, and Yona realized they were surrounded by a group of scraggly looking men.  Her blood ran cold. 

They attacked and Yona drew her sword, moving to stand against Hak’s back so she could guard it.  There were a good number of them, twisted faces and black pits for eyes.  They were just as she had imagined thieves would be.

A blade swung at her from the right and Yona blocked it, flicking the tip away and wheeling to the side to lock eyes with the attacker.  He was no more than a child, a boy of twelve at the most.  Did all bandits start this young?

His blade came for her again, Yona dancing out of the way.  Fighting someone so young did not sit well with her for a child should never have to live such a ruthless life.  When she had reclaimed the castle the first thing she’d do would be to address the state of children in Kouka.

Until then, she’d just have to make sure neither of them got hurt. 

Yona made the first move this time, a smooth strike aimed to knock the sword out of the boy’s hands.  It worked, and as the weapon fell to the ground she took a step towards him.  Perhaps she could convince the boy to go with them, he didn’t need to live a life like this, he could become a productive member of society.  His eyes widened in fear at her approach. 

“Princess!”

Hak darted in front of a confused Yona.  Did he truly think an unarmed child presented any threat? 

Peering around Hak, Yona followed his gaze and through a thicket of trees she could just make out an archer, bow positioned at the ready.

_No!_

He released, the arrow burying into Hak.  Hak stumbled back before quickly regaining his footing.

“Retreat!”

The bandits were rushing back into the forest, but Yona hardly noticed.  She raced around to Hak’s front, dropping her sword and reaching out to run a gentle hand over the wound.

“H-hak” she blubbered, at a loss for what to do.  She didn’t know anything about wounds or how to treat them.  Would such an infliction kill the Thunder Beast?  What if the tip was poisoned?  What if-

“Move!” a sharp, female voice commanded.

Yona was pulled back by a firm hand, one belonging to Eun.  The princess stepped forward, inspecting where the arrow was lodged in Hak’s chest.

“You’re lucky” she informed him, strong and steady voice replacing the delicate one she usually spoke with.  “If it had been just a little more to the left it would have gotten your heart.  I can remove it and bandage up the wound, but you better not push it for the next couple of days.”

“You’re familiar with healing?” Yona asked numbly.

Eun shot her a tight smile.  “Yes, but we’ll discuss that later.  For now, let’s treat him.  The bandits won’t be back, we’ve proven to be too formidable for them to take down.  Can you find me any medical supplies we have, Yona?”

Yona nodded, running off to ask a nearby soldier about supplies.  He directed her to the guard with the scar, and the man quickly handed over a small pouch.  Yona rushed back, thrusting the bag into Eun’s hands. 

As Eun worked on Hak, Yona walked around, offering to help the other guards.  The rest had only suffered superficial cuts, but to keep busy the princess cleaned the wounds.  Perhaps Hak would have also gotten away with only a mere few scratches had he not acted as a shield for her.  Once she had attended to ever soldier, Yona returned to Hak’s side, watching quietly as Eun cleaned and bandaged the area where he had been hit.

“All done” Eun finally said, packing the remedies back where the belonged.  “I’ll change the bandages in the morning, but I do believe your chance of infection is low.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s the least I could do considering you and Yona got me out of the castle.  I’m going to go find some food for you, and then I think it’s better if you try and go to sleep. I know it’s early, but the more rest you get, the better.”

The princess left, leaving Yona with Hak.  She glanced at the man, unsure of what to say.  She ought to apologize, it was her fault after all, but she had no idea where to even begin.

Hak grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers together and resting it on his leg. 

“Don’t give me that face, princess.  I liked you better when you were insulting me.”

“Well I won’t insult you when you’re injured, so next time let me face my own wounds.  And, I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he insisted as Eun returned. 

The three sat in silence as Hak ate, and though Yona was curious on the girl’s background, she wasn’t in the mood to listen to such a story.  After Hak had eaten, he bid the princesses a goodnight and, as ordered, entered his tent to sleep.

“He’ll be fine” Eun assured, but the words didn’t help calm Yona’s frazzled nerves.  After thirty minutes of torture, Yona decided to check up on Hak.

The inside of his tent was quiet, and as she drew closer Yona could see he was sleeping.  She sat down beside him, an action that would have roused the normal Hak from his slumber.  Yona felt anger at both herself and the bandits begin to boil in her veins.    

They had both injured Hak.  Her Hak.

Ever so gently, Yona leaned down, pressing her mouth lightly to his. 

A hand clamped around her forearm, flipping her so quickly she didn’t have time to process what was going on until she found herself on the ground, Hak hovering over her.  He kissed her then, really kissed her, with no reserve or the careful control he always seemed to maintain.

“Yona” he murmured against her lips once they had broken apart, and it was in that moment she realized he wasn’t fully awake.

Hak kissed her again.  Yona didn’t fight him, didn’t care to.  Though she’d always thought him to be virile in all aspects, his lips were gentle against hers, languid and warm and everything she had imagined from reading fairytales as a child. 

She raised a hand, timidly laying it against his cheek.  Her fingers had barely made contact with his skin when he was gone.  Yona opened her eyes, catching sight of Hak on the other side of the tent, panting.  His face was masked in shadows.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.  The timbre of his voice was darker than usual, thick amber flowing through the night.  It sent shivers down her spine.

“I- I just wanted to check up on you” Yona stammered, eyes fastening on her folded hands.  She was nervous, almost suffocatingly so.  How was it that simply looking Hak in the eye proved to be more terrifying than fighting any enemy?

“Do you usually check up on people by…forget it.  You should go back to your tent, princess.”

His tone was flat, tired, without the slightest shading of sarcasm or teasing.  Yona felt her heart grind to a halt.  Anger and confusion sparked through her mind, and she wanted nothing more than to stand up and hurl the biggest object she could find at the man. 

“Fine” she said curtly, rising up from the ground.  “Get some rest.  We can’t afford to slow down for you tomorrow.”

The words were harsh, knives with jagged edges she had thrown at the man.  She hoped they pierced his heart.

“See you in the morning, Hak.”

Yona left his tent, heading to the one she shared with Eun.  Eun wasn’t in it when Yona arrived, and quietly she crept into their makeshift bed.  Yona curled up under a layer of blankets, breathing as calmly as she could, hands balled and pressed into her chest.

When she’d thrown those knives she’d hit her heart instead.


	6. The Sharpest Mind

Geun-Tae’s palace was different than the castle Yona called home, though much the same as well.  Stone pillars stood like unflinching soldiers along a large gravel path, acting as guides that brought any visitor directly to the palace’s front doors.  The doors themselves were a shade of rusty red, the same color as the dirt that seemed to coat much of the Earth Tribe.

Even with its rough edges, the building made Yona miss Hiryuu Castle tremendously.

“Your highness,” a guard called, rushing toward the princess with a look of shock apparent on his face.  “We weren’t aware you’d planned to visit Lord Geun-Tae.”

Yona truly wondered if, in her filthy and torn clothes, it appeared like she’d simply dropped by for a social call.

“There wasn’t a plan,” she said, “but an emergency has arisen.  We must speak with General Geun-Tae at once.”

“But-”

“Are you refusing the princess?” Hak asked casually from beside her, though Yona was sure, even without looking, his expression was one of darkness and storms.  Usually it would have annoyed the girl that Hak had just decided to offer assistance, especially when Yona was fully capable of handling things herself.  However, at this point, she no longer cared who helped.  She was tired, hungry, and ready to take her home back.

“No, of course not.  He’s training some men right now, but I’ll fetch him at once.”  With a bow he jogged off, signaling for another guard to lead Yona’s entourage into the castle.

Once safely inside the pristine walls, Yona immediately felt calmer.  She’d been close to losing her mind during their final leg of the journey, fretting constantly over that which lay out of her control.  Were her parents alright?  Had Joo-Doh successfully made it to the Water Tribe?  She seemed to have no bearing when it came to the truly crucial matters.

Frustrating, frustrating, so painfully frustrating.

Hak’s arm brushed against hers and Yona looked up at her companion.

Well, at least she had control over one problem that had been troubling her.

“Hak, as soon as we meet with General Geun-Tae I’m going to ask him for a room.  You will then go and rest.  Your wound still hasn’t completely healed.”

Hak’s eyes seared into hers, and Yona had to force herself to not look away.  Ever since that night in the tent she no longer knew how to handle the Thunder Beast.  His actions greatly confused her, sunshine one moment and then rain.  He’d said her name, kissed her as if she was the air itself and he was on his last breath. 

But then Hak had pulled away, taking her shattering heart with him.

“I’m your bodyguard; I won’t leave your side.”

The playful nature of their relationship had ceased to be following that night, making things even more difficult for Yona.

“This is a direct order,” she commanded with as level of a voice as she could muster.  “I don’t know what type of danger you think I’ll be facing in such a heavily guarded castle, but I’ll be able to manage on my own.”

The words were sharp, even to her ears, and Yona winced slightly at them.  Hak watched her for a moment longer, expression unreadable.

“As my princess commands.  However, there’s something I need to discuss with you later, something important.”

That piqued her interest.  She wanted to ask him to tell her now, but before she could General Geun-Tae marched in, looking every bit as feral and dangerous as he had the last time Yona had seen him.  Which, she realized, was at the tournament.  At that time the general was quite happy with the turn of events; he thought it admirable Yona entered the competition. 

“Hello, princess.  What’s the matter?”

There were no forced scripts of politeness or small talk with Geun-Tae.  No, he was straight to the point, blunt.  Yona liked those characteristics in him.

“First, I need a room so Hak can rest.  He’s injured.  And my men could do with some food.  Oh, and if you’d be so kind, Princess Eun also requires a room as well.”

  Geun-Tae waved his hand in a circular motion and three guards came forward, taking the rest of Yona’s group with them.  Eun squeezed her arm once, offering a small smile.  Hak sent the princess one more look, and for a moment Yona was afraid she’d need to argue with him about leaving her.  Finally, he followed the guard.

“Well, now that the party is over, will you explain why you look like you’ve been rolling in the mud?”

Yona glanced down at her clothes, finding his assessment all too accurate.

“Yes.  Hiryuu Castle has been over taken.  A few of us made it out, but my parents are still inside as hostages, as well as the majority of the staff.”

Geun-Tae slammed his fist into the wall and Yona jumped, shocked as the harsh sound echoed through the room.

“What’s that damn fool Joo-Doh doing?” he growled.  “I knew he was incompetent, but this is something else.”

She ignored the jab at the other man, deciding now was not the time to get into an argument over how well Joo-Doh could or couldn’t do his job.  She knew better than to breach the subject, especially since the two generals had never seen eye to eye.

“Joo-Doh has gone to the Water Tribe,” she said instead, “and the third party is heading for the Fire Tribe.”

Geun-Tae sighed, running a tanned hand through his wild hair.  His mouth was twisted down in a frown, mind flitting around like a leaf on a blustery breeze.

“Do you know who has committed this crime?”

“Insurgents.”

“So, in other words, you don’t know.”

“W-well,” she trailed off, voice faltering.

“My best guess is that it’s an attacking from a neighboring country,” an all too familiar voice rumbled.

Yona whipped around to glare daggers at Hak.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” she bit out.

“I did rest,” he said walking until he stood beside Yona.  She didn’t think five minutes counted as adequate rest, but at this point fighting about it would only waste precious time.

“We need to do something soon,” Yona murmured, “I don’t know how long they’ll keep my parents alive, and what their end game is.”

_If they’re still alive._

No one addressed that point, and the princess was thankful for it.

“We can’t just barge in there without a strategy,” Hak replied, resting a firm hand on Yona’s shoulder.  She took comfort from the contact, even with the awkward air between them.

“Sure we can” Geun-Tae said, “we ain’t generals for nothing, kid.  And I’ve got an entire army ready to fight.”

Hak adopted an expression of displeasure at the idea of such a bold maneuver, but before he could say anything Yona spoke up first.

“We do need a strategy, and I happen to have one.  What we need is an inside man, someone to find out more about who we’re dealing with so we can proceed.  I’m sure whoever is behind this knows Kouka has a crown princess, and I’m positive if I showed up at Hiryuu Castle in tattered clothes and a broken will they’d take me as another royal hostage.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Hak insisted, “I can’t risk you getting hurt.”

Yona briefly wondered if Hak would be more receptive to her affections if she was truly injured.

_Come now Yona, get it together.  Now isn’t the time for silly thoughts._

“We have to do something, and it is my duty as princess to help in any way I can.  Besides, I’m going to need someone to relay what I find to the others.  No one is as stealthy and skilled as you, Hak.  You can sneak in, see I’m ok, and deliver information so we can take back our home.  If things ever get too sticky, I give you full permission to take me away.”

He still didn’t look convinced, not by a long shot, but Yona could see admiration weaved into the uncertainty that sat in his cobalt colored eyes.  He’d give in, with time.

“I like your bravery, girl” Geun-Tae laughed, a wide, rakish grin spreading across his face.  “Now, let’s plan our war.”    

**Author's Note:**

> As it turns out, this installment will be the second of three. Hurray for fics that just refuse to end. I hope you guys like this portion of the story just as much as Strongest of Hearts!


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